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AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
JULY 14, 2023
RECORDED AT THE SASKTEL CENTRE IN SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Excalibur, Chris Jericho, and Tony Schiavone
Ring announcer: Justin Roberts
– The opening of Rampage aired, and Excalibur welcomed us to the show. He was joined by Chris Jericho and Tony Schiavone.
(1) KEITH LEE & DUSTIN RHODES vs. ANGELO PARKER & MATT MENARD
Lee and Parker started things off but Parker made a quick tag to Menard. Menard got the upper hand on Dustin as he made the legal tag but Dustin quickly turned the tables on both Menard and Parker. Dustin worked over Menard’s arm and went for a quick cover. Menard had Dustin in the corner and whipped him across the ring. Dustin reversed and nailed Menard with a stiff right hand, then turned and nailed Parker with one as well.
Dustin spilled to the outside after Parker pulled the ropes. Parker rammed Dustin’s back hard into the barricade. Dustin was thrown back inside for Menard to continue to work him over. Parker tagged in as he and Menard cut the ring off from Dustin. Parker covered for a two count, then raked his boot across Dustin’s eyes for good measure. Menard tagged back in and sent Dustin hard into the corner. Menard and Parker made quick tags in and out as they double teamed Dustin. [c]
Dustin was close to tagging in Lee but Parker and Menard cut Dustin off just in time. Menard dropkicked Lee off the apron just as Dustin made his way for the tag. Dustin finally made the tag and Lee came in firing. He hit multiple running clotheslines on Parker and Menard until he threw Parker directly into Menard to take them both out. Lee then turned to Dustin and threw him into both opponents.
Menard and Parker threw Lee into Dustin, then hit Lee with a double DDT. They rolled Lee over and covered him but Dustin broke up the pin attempt. Lee caught Parker and pancaked him across the back of Menard. Lee picked up Parker and hit him with his finisher for the win.
WINNERS: Keith Lee and Dustin Rhodes in 10:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A slow paced opener that showcased Lee well in the end but otherwise gave a ton of ring time to Parker and Menard.)
– A new QTV segment aired. It ended with Johnny TV throwing down a six man challenge to The Acclaimed for next week.
(2) TAYA VALKYRIE vs. IZZY MCQUEEN
Taya immediately hit a speaker on McQueen, then hit her with a curbstomp for the win.
WINNER: Taya Valkyrie in 0:30
– After the match, Toni Storm and Saraya made their way to the ring. Storm congratulated Taya on her win, but said she has been losing a lot. Storm said the reason she keeps losing is because she’s a loser and because she’s Canadian. Taya said she should be worried about her title, and said the two have never wrestled. Taya said she would give Storm an opportunity to face her tomorrow at Battle of the Belts VII or the AEW Women’s World Title. Storm accepted.
– A video aired showing Hook challenging Jack Perry for the FTW title match at next week’s Dynamite.
(3) LANCE ARCHER (w/Jake Roberts) vs. TRENT BERETTA (w/Chuck Taylor)
Archer attacked Trent before the bell. He whipped Trent hard into the corner as the crowd chanted for Roberts on the outside. Trent fought back but Archer quickly cut him off. Archer nailed Trent with a few stiff forearms across the chest before raking his eyes near the ropes. Archer went for a powerbomb but Trent got out of it and tried hitting a sunset flip. Trent couldn’t but slapped Archer across the face instead, before dumping him to the floor. Trent hit a running dropkick, then flew through the ropes. Archer caught him but Trent fought out of it and hit a moonsault from the corner. Roberts attacked Trent and nailed him with a short-arm clothesline. [c]
Trent dodged a charge by Archer and hit him with a suplex. Trent followed up with a running knee strike, then hit a piledriver for two. Archer took Trent to the mat then went for a chokeslam that Trent countered for two. Trent hit another knee strike, then went to the top. Archer cut him off with his own knee strike, then hit Blackout and a clothesline for the win.
WINNER: Lance Archer in 9:30
– After the match, Archer attacked Chuck Taylor who entered the ring to check on Trent. Roberts gave Archer the mic as he used it to call out Orange Cassidy in an attempt to challenge him for the International Title at Battle of the Belts. Cassidy made his way to the ring as Excalibur noted that Tony Khan made their match official for tomorrow night. Archer was about to chokeslam Cassidy but Roberts stopped him and told Archer the title would be his on Saturday. Roberts took the belt and told Cassidy he’d have to come get it.
(Moynahan’s Take: I dug this but kind of wish Archer would have just destroyed Trent to make a statement here. No offense, Trent. I do like the idea of pushing Archer for an International title match in the short-term.)
– A video package aired featuring the recent feud between Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal and crew vs. Page, Hardy, and Brother Zay. They hyped up a match taking place on next week’s Rampage.
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(4) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (w/Don Callis) vs. MENTALLO
Before the match began, Callis took the mic and said Menatllo was a friend of Kenny Omega. Callis said Omega has a need to be surrounded by his idiot friends. Callis then asked Mentallo whether he knew the Japanese word for “kill’ before saying it aloud, which put Takeshita on the attack. Mentallo was caught with a huge lariat as Takeshita nailed him with a series of shots to the face. Mentallo caught Takeshita’s charging knee and aimed for his legs with a dropkick before hitting a German suplex for two. Mentallo went to the top but was cut off by Takeshita.
Takeshita hit a superplex off the top, but hobbled to get up before hitting a piledriver. Takeshita came off the top with a senton. He covered for the win.
WINNER: Konosuke Takeshita in 4:00
(Moynahan’s Take: Basically your second squash of the night, although Mentallo did manage to get in some offense. Love seeing this new Takeshita, but wish he was featured more on Dynamite up until now.)
– The Dark Order was backstage with Renee. They each talked about their frustrations with Adam Page and how he left them hanging. Dark Order said it was time for them to rebuild as Uno asked whether anyone was “Dark Order or not.” [c]
– Mark Henry was backstage within a video package hyping tonight’s main event. Henry said it was “time for the main event.”
– Excalibur hyped tomorrow’s Collision and Battle of the Belts VII as well as next week’s Dynamite.
(5) WILLOW NIGHTINGALE vs. ATHENA — Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament
Willow threw Athena to the mat in the early going, then hit her with a shoulder lock. Athena fired back with her own running shoulder block. Willow hit a running elbow strike in the corner before dancing for the crowd. Athena bailed to the outside as Willow followed behind her. Back inside the ring, Athena missed an elbow drop but was able to catch Willow’s leg in the rope and yank down hard. Ruby Soho was shown backstage looking on to see who she’d face in the finals. Athena hit a running dropkick to Willow’s ribs, then covered for two. [c]
Willow went for a body slam but Athena stopped her and tried for one of her own. Willow got out of it and hit a huge pounce that rocked Athena to the mat. Willow followed up with a clothesline, then a running charge in the corner. Willow hit a spinebuster for two. Athena blocked a Dr. Bomb, then rolled Willow up for two. Athena hit a nasty looking elbow strike, but Willow kicked out of the follow up pin. Bothe women battled on their knees as they slowly made it back to their feet. They traded chops until Willow hit a slam but missed a senton. Athena hit a standing moonsault press for two.
Athena locked in a crossface as Willow tried for the ropes before turning things into a pin attempt. Willow hit a DVD for two. Willow pulled down her straps as she fired up. Athena chopped her at the knees, then went for a move but fell on her back which allowed Willow to roll her up for the pin
WINNER: Willow Nightingale in 11:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A solid main event that really picked up after the commercial break. Willow vs. Soho should be a fun match pitting two very different personalities against one another.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: This show didn’t look like much on paper, and while it was nowhere near a blow away, it was solid up and down the card. I think Rampage continues to settle into its role as the in-between show that’s getting more familiar with what exactly it is by now. It’s never going to be on the level of Dynamite or Collision and doesn’t have to pretend it is anymore. If you’re going to check out one match, watch the main event since it ties nicely into tomorrow’s Women’s Finals. Until next week, stay safe everyone!
OR CHECK OUT JASON POWELL’S REPORT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW Rampage results (7/14): Powell’s review of Athena vs. Nightingale in an Owen Hart Cup tournament semifinal match, Keith Lee & Dustin vs. Parker & Menard, Archer vs. Beretta
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